Reports from Around the World

Egypt : Can oppressed Christian minority find freedom, too?Enraged Muslims betrayed the Christian hope for unity in several violent attacks during the final weeks of June in Egypt. Despite all this, Christians hope the fight for democracy will unite them with the Muslims. Paul Estabrooks with Open Doors says others aren't so sure. "The church is, I think, far more optimistic about opportunities and positive change in the future than we on the outside looking in." Christians in Egypt have found some unity with Muslims as they protest government oppression, but Muslims will be the majority in the new regime. With the power shift, Muslims may be more likely to oppress the Christian minority. "They trust that minorities are going to be involved in any democratic constitution that'll be established and be protected," says Estabrooks. "However, there doesn't seem to be a history of protection of minorities in new democracies." How can Christians help? "Pray that their optimism will be honored and that they will be able to have the freedom that they desire to share the Gospel."
Source: Mission Network News, 29 June, 2011. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/15906

Middle East: One man's trust"For Real?!" by Rachel Fields, who has lived in the Middle East since 2003 and is assistant director of an English center there. How one Muslim man's faith in Jesus has led increasing numbers of fellow Muslims in his community to also put their trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord. www.lausanneworldpulse.com/themedarticles.php/1402/05-2011

Cuba: Severe government pressure against Churches"Cuban Baptist pastor prevented from attending church service as pressure on all denominations intensifies" dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=press&id=1193 (Christian Solidarity Worldwide).

South Sudan: Beginning of IndependenceSouth Sudan marked independence Saturday, July 9, with the jubilation of a people group freed from oppression. Days later, the big question is: Now what? Lawmakers formed a caretaker government and announced a new currency yesterday. But freedom begins with a solid foundation. Lorella Rouster with Every Child Ministries says they're part of that solution. "I was there just a few days before Independence, training church and orphanage workers in Southern Sudan in more effective ways of children's ministry." As refugees return to the South in droves, groups like ECM are preparing for the influx by partnering with the local church. "We would like people to pray that people would use the teaching that we have given them and be effective in reaching the new generation," says Rouster. "The techniques that we've given are good for large groups, so I think that's good for the influx of new children." Pray for a peaceful transition.
Source: Mission Network News, 12 July, 2011. Full story: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/15958

Pakistan: No justice for victims of Gojra Massacre At least eight Christians burned to death in August 2009, and 70 Muslims accused of the murders have been acquitted (Worthy News). www.christianpersecution.info/index.php?view=10333

Editorial: Tom Krattenmaker, "Can cause of social justice tame our culture wars?" Where will the social justice commitments of the new evangelicals lead? (USA Today). www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2011-06-26-can-social-justice-effort-tame-culture-wars_n.htm

Vietnam: Massacre of Hmong Christians Reports speak of so many being gunned down by "security" forces that a bulldozer was needed for the mass grave, pastors being beheaded, and survivors detained after 7000 Christians sought to gather on a mountainside (Worthy News). www.christianpersecution.info/index.php?view=10648 | Related story: "Hmong targeted by Vietnamese troops" (MNN). www.mnnonline.org/article/15760

China: "Forced Abortion Whistleblower Gets U.S. Gov't Support" Standing up for human rights in China has led to severe persecution from Communist government. One activist "exposed the fact that there were 130,000 forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations in Linyi County in 2005" and has since been tortured and denied medical treatment (CharismaNews). www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/31610-forced-abortion-whistleblower-gets-us-govt-support

See other news to pray and praise God about in the Prayer Requests department below.

Report the NewsWe are looking for stories about what God is doing in the world, reports about the persecution of Christians, and information about significant trends and ministry opportunities. If you have a news item to report, please send an email to the PNEUMA INFORMER. http://www.pneumafoundation.org/contactus.jsp

Tony Richie, "The Right Moment for an Important and Unprecedented Document"

Resources You Can Use

New Christian Magazine from IndiaJohn Lathrop, a regular contributor to Pneuma Foundation publications, writes to tell us about a new publication that will be of interest to Informer readers:

There is a new Christian magazine that is being published in India called Christian Trends (it is published in English). One of the founders is Dr. Finny Philip. He is a Pentecostal, I met him in the Philadelphia area in 2005. Dr. Philip is the Principal of Filadelphia Bible College in Udaipur, Rajasthan India. You can see the college's website at: fbcudaipur.com/index.html
You can see the first issue of the magazine on their website at: http://ctrendsmag.com

Interview with Pastor Philip Mantofa

Excerpts from THE PNEUMA REVIEW

THE PNEUMA REVIEW is a quarterly printed journal of ministry resources and theology for Pentecostal and charismatic ministries and leaders. For more information about THE PNEUMA REVIEW, and to learn how to subscribe, please visit: Introducing THE PNEUMA REVIEW. www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp

Woodrow E. Walton, D.Min. (Oral Roberts University School of Theology and Missions), B.A. (Texas Christian University), B.D. [M.Div.] (Duke Divinity School), M.A. (University of Oklahoma), is a retired Seminary Dean and Professor of biblical, theological and historical studies. An ordained Assemblies of God minister, he and his wife live in Shattuck, Oklahoma. Walton retains membership with the Evangelical Theological Society, American Association of Christian Counselors, American Society of Church History, American Academy of Political Science, and The International Society of Frontier Missiology.

Read more reviews and other articles in the Summer 2011 issue of THE PNEUMA REVIEW www.pneumafoundation.org/intro_pr.jsp